More Evidence for the Civil War Photograph

I’ve written about the tree-branch prop used when this “Ptp” photo was recorded, indicating it was probably before about 1870 when those six men were standing over the body of the pterosaur. (See “Civil War Pterodactyl Photo or a Fake?“) The scientist Clifford Paiva has recently found another prop, this one under the left wing of the animal.

Prop used to support a wing (yellow) and more cleared brush (red)

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After about 1870, photographers did not have such a need for keeping persons motionless, for snap shots were becoming common because of improvements in the technology. But we have additional evidence of authenticity in the Ptp photograph:

Evidence of clearing brush

The physicist Clifford Paiva also found more cleared brush in front of the animal. This was probably done to allow a clearer view for the camera. This would be unnecessary if this photo was a hoax created by Photoshop or some other digital image manipulation software.

I was delighted when he phoned me with the news, for evidence of authenticity continues to accumulate in support of Ptp.

Early skepticism from critics

It’s important to notice that the first skeptical remarks about this photograph related to the conjecture that Photoshop was used in creating it. Perhaps the best-known cryptozoologist in the world is Loren Coleman, who said, “Verdict: Photoshopping.”

We now have, however, a number of evidences that Photoshop was not involved in the creation of this old photograph. It appears to have been recorded before 1870, a full century before that software existed (not to mention many decades before computers existed).

We no longer need to rely only on those witnesses who report seeing the photo in a book in the mid-20th century, for the image itself has evidences of being from the 19th century.

In other words, I was not at all acting under confirmation bias in coming to the conclusion that Ptp has an authentic image of an extant pterosaur. If I had no confirmation bias then, when did I have it? The critic gives no details, failing to provide even a clue that would support his idea that I have acted from confirmation bias.

We have reports of modern pterosaurs in other parts of the world including the United States: California, Washington State, Oregon, Arizona, Utah, Maine, Ohio, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Georgia,North Carolina, South Carolina, Pennsylvania,Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas,Oklahoma, Kansas, and other states. But for now we examine sightings in Papua New Guinea.